This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.
Most ski racks, snowboard racks, and other racks as well as adapters for racks are designed to fit on certain crossbars, such as those having a specific shape and profile. Significantly, the typical rack or adapter is installed first, and then the skis, snowboards and other objects are secured to the rack or adapter.
Generally, for example, ski or snowboard attachments or adapters cannot hold the skis or equipment securely enough to be held only against one adapter (i.e., on one crossbar). Thus, conventional adapters are typically provided in pairs that attach to the two crossbars at the front and back of the rack.
There are various types of ski racks, sports racks, luggage or roof racks, adapters/attachments, and systems for attaching skis, snowboards, and other equipment. For the purpose of this application, the terms “skis” or “snowboards” as used herein are intended to be generic and include all types of ski or similar sized sports equipment that are mounted on roof racks. Similarly, the terms “rack”, “adapter”, “attachments”, “sports rack”, “cross members”, “crossbars”, “side rails,” or other such terms are also intended to refer generically to bars, brackets, and other assemblies, permanently or removably installed on the roof of cars or other vehicles in order to transport or carry skis, other sports-related equipment, and non-sports related equipment.
The scope of present disclosure includes ski, sports equipment, and other type carriers and racks designed to adapt to cross members of multi- or single-function rack adapters or attachments, including two-sided, hinged or scissor-type ski rack systems (e.g., where the ski rack adapter after being installed on the crossbars is open to accept or remove skis or snowboards, etc.) and various other designs, many of which involve after-market racks or rack systems. Generally, rack towers (side supports) attach to a vehicle or side rails mount to the vehicle's door moldings or rain gutters or the sides of the roof above the gutters. Attached to the towers are crossbars or members spanning across the car, with one crossbar, for example, between each of the two sets of towers. Specialized rack attachments or carriers (e.g., for skis, bikes, kayaks, canoes, etc.) are commonly mounted on the cross members/bars and added/removed as needed depending on the season or time of year and the desired function for various sport equipment or other items being secured to the rack and roof of the vehicle.
Many factory installed roof racks for vehicles (e.g., luggage racks or otherwise, etc.) also have cross members, or in some cases, only side rails for luggage or cargo (e.g., to which after-market cross members can be added). Specialty adapters sold by the vehicle, rack manufacturers, or third-party manufacturers are designed for specialty uses to carry similar sport and other equipment as mentioned for the aftermarket racks above. Because sports racks for specific equipment like skis, and specialty adapters for skis must be installed separately (i.e., before installing the equipment they are designed for), the inventor hereof has recognized that owners/users oftentimes avoid the inconvenience of extra or frequent installations and uninstalling or removal, and instead simply leave the specialty adapters installed on the beyond when needed despite the added wind noise, drag, and inconvenience when other seasons require installation of other specialized adapters.
Many of these specialty brackets, adapters, etc., are designed to fit only one or a subset of the crossbars or members, which come in a variety of sizes and cross sectional shapes (e.g., square, spheroid, prolate spheroid, round, etc.). Some fit a variety of shaped crossbars though not always in an optimal condition as the shape of the crossbar and adapter brackets may not match well. In many cases, generic adapters (adapters that are not designed for or matched to a specific cross section crossbar) have either four attachment points or bolts, such that require significant time to install and remove the generic adapters.
Additionally, specialty adapters or components for skis, snowboards, bikes, poles, etc., often are not capable of being quickly installed and/or removed as such specialty adapters are not designed with quick release. Instead, such specialty adapters may require two or more nut/bolt assemblies in order to be secured to each attachment point on the cross members (typically there are two cross members). Due to this inconvenience, the inventor hereof has recognized that adapters are often left installed for the season or beyond the immediate need or use to hold or carry the designated equipment, as the time to change the adapters for the different equipment often deters the use of the proper adapters. For example, a single ski alternatively might be secured with bungee cords or other means rather than by fully installing, then de-installing the ski adapters/racks.